During a discussion about reading our Bibles and praying earlier this week, a friend joked about how difficult that is when you have children. In a way, I agree. Sometimes I look at a quiet time that didn't go so well (me trying to read my Bible while Amelie cries in her crib and Elizabeth dances and sings around the living room, then giving up on prayer and nap while I go get Amelie up early) and despair that I "didn't get anything done" or didn't feel like I really connected with God.
But then I think about my relationship with one of my girlfriends. Sometimes we have play dates in which we hardly do any talking because one kid falls off the swing and Amelie keeps eating sand and we're constantly interrupted to watch one trick or another. Those times together, while not our first choice for building our friendship, still deepen our relationship in their own way just by virtue of proximity, motivation, and intent.
God is the one who gave us our gift of children. He knows what season of life we're in, and He gives us mercy and grace during those quiet times with kids when it's not possible to concentrate enough to really "feel it" but we're giving it our best anyway. He knows our heart. He knows our desire to know Him better. And just like my occasionally disastrous play dates with my friend, He meets us halfway and appreciates the relationship-building time of simply being part of our daily life, crazy and distracting as it can be!
2 comments:
Oooh, nicely done! An adjunct to your thoughts is that prayer with God doesn't need to be with words, anymore than quality time with your spouse needs to be. Sometimes, the value is in just being with each other.
Amen. If anything I feel closer to God in those moments of the day when I am in desperation, "Lord please help me to hold my tongue and let Seth try to do this his way." etc. When I am up early though and my "distraction" has not awoken it is the best time to read His Word and to thank God for being there in those moments. Carving out my sleep time was not an easy choice to make but He has rewarded it.
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